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LMS Route: Birmingham - Soho Road - Perry Barr - Birmingham

Soho Road Station

Soho Road station opened at the same time as the relief loop line to Walsall via Perry Barr on 1st April 1889. The LNWR had built this new stretch of line to provide relief to the traffic entering New Street via the old Grand Junction Railway route. It was primarily envisaged for goods traffic, especially for servicing the coal mines around Perry Barr and Great Barr (Hamstead). The two passenger stations on the line, Soho Road from the outset and Handsworth Wood from 1st January 1896, were in competition with the GWR's more direct route between Wolverhampton and Birmingham. Consequently with the commencement of the Second World War, which required the railways to be efficient with scarce resources and labour, the two stations were closed in 1941 never to re-open although the route remains open to this day.

Soho station consisted of a three storey building sited between the up and down lines with the third floor facing out on to Soho Road. The ground floor had doors set below the platform level as can be seen from the remains of the station in image 'lnwrsohord1517' and 'lnwrsohord3422' The platforms were also located between the two running lines creating an island structure requiring just one set of stairs from the three storey station building. The 1912 Ordnance Survey map shows the island platform having a structure accommodating one probably two waiting rooms with canopies reaching out both sides to the full width of the island platform. The Railway Clearing House's Handbook of Railway Stations records that the station served only passengers with a parcels facility as Soho Pool Wharf provided the goods facilities for the area.

Looking along Soho Road station's up platform towards Perry Barr with the single line to Soho Wharf Pool on the right
Ref: lnwrsohordrd4158
RS Carpenter
Looking along the station's up platform towards Perry Barr with the single line to Soho Wharf Pool on the right
Close up of the buildings located on the platform which housed the passenger waiting rooms and toilets and station offices
Ref: lnwrsohordrd4158a
RS Carpenter
Close up of the buildings located on the platform which housed the passenger waiting rooms and toilets and station offices
Looking towards Perry Barr on 1st June 1962 from the site of the former station's island platform
Ref: lnwrsohord1517
DJ Norton
Looking towards Perry Barr on 1st June 1962 from the site of the former station's island platform
An oblique view of the main station building showing how the third floor faced on to Soho Road as seen on 3rd October 1965
Ref: lnwrsohord3422
J Alsop
An oblique view of the main station building showing how the third floor faced on to Soho Road
Looking along the down line towards Walsall with the line to Soho Pool Wharf seen on the right
Ref: lnwrsohord3423
J Alsop
Looking along the down line on 3rd October 1965 towards Walsall with the line to Soho Pool Wharf seen on the right

Looking along the up line towards Perry Barr beneath the bridge which carried Soho Road over the railway
Ref: lnwrsohord1518
DJ Norton
Looking along the up line towards Perry Barr beneath the bridge which carried Soho Road over the railway
Soho Road Station platform and sign can be seen in the background to this photograph taken in 1898
Ref: lnwrsohord3743
AE Teague
Soho Road Station platform and sign can be seen in the background to this photograph taken in 1898
Looking towards the site of the former station with the remains of the booking office just visible on the left
Ref: lnwrsohord1519
DJ Norton
Looking towards the site of the former station with the remains of the booking office just visible on the left
Close up showing on the right part of the single freight only branch line to Soho Pool goods station
Ref: lnwrsohord1519a
DJ Norton
Close up showing on the right part of the single freight only branch line to Soho Pool goods station
Looking towards Winson Green junction with the single line to Soho Wharf Pool falling away to the left on 3rd October 1965
Ref: lnwrsohord3424
J Alsop
Looking towards Winson Green junction with the single line to Soho Wharf Pool falling away to the left

An unidentified LNWR 4-4-0 Precursor class locomotive stands at the station whilst at the head of a local service
Ref: lnwrsohordrd1521
Anon
An unidentified LNWR 4-4-0 Precursor class locomotive stands at the station whilst at the head of a local service

A 1912 OS map of Soho Road station showing the station was constructed to the south of Soho Road
Ref: lnwrsohord3418
National Library of Scotland
A 1912 OS map of Soho Road station showing the station was constructed to the south of Soho Road
An unidentified LNWR 4-4-0 Precursor class locomotive stands at the station whilst at the head of a local service
Ref: lnwrsohord3747
National Library of Scotland
A 1912 OS map showing the single line to Soho Wharf and the siding leading to Handsworth Power Station
A 1912 Ordnance Survey map showing Soho Road station and, on the right, Handsworth Power Station
Ref: lnwrsohord3748
National Library of Scotland
A 1912 Ordnance Survey map showing Soho Road station and, on the right, Handsworth Power Station
Map showing the location of Soho Road station in relation to the GWR's Soho & Winson Green station
Ref: lnwrsohord2279
DJ Norton
Map showing the location of Soho Road station in relation to the GWR's Soho & Winson Green station